Best and Worst of TW Vegas

[stafford]

So what did everyone think, what was the best, what was the worst? Broad categories here; props, shows, activities etc. etc. etc.

I'll throw out a few.

Best new prop - Scarefactory Walkers
Worst new prop - ????????????
Best about show - all one level
Worst about show - hiding the Haunt Show in the back corner behind the drapes (don't pay attention to the man behind the curtain)
Best about Vegas - No last call
Worst about Vegas - my feet are killing me

[ihauntu]

what was best

The weather was great!
everything in vegas was great!

Frightdome had some awesome animal costumes!
Unit 70 items were very impressive!

[HauntedWebby]

Best new prop - Oak Island Claustrophobia II
Worst new prop - window covers @ $12.50 wholesale (eek) Product was good, just not sure on price points.
Best about show - Seeing old friends, making new one!!
Worst about show - loud props next to people who need to talk
Best about Vegas - Fremont Street on St. Patricks night!
Worst about Vegas - Can't be on casino floor in character make-up

[mindtumor]

So what did everyone think, what was the best, what was the worst? Broad categories here; props, shows, activities etc. etc. etc.

I'll throw out a few.

Best new prop - Scarefactory Walkers
Worst new prop - ????????????
Best about show - all one level
Worst about show - hiding the Haunt Show in the back corner behind the drapes (don't pay attention to the man behind the curtain)
Best about Vegas - No last call
Worst about Vegas - my feet are killing me

Best new prop - hopping octopus
Worst new prop - I don't want to hurt anyone's feelings
Best about the show -
Worst about show - seemed like some vendors were missing
Best about Vegas - I liked walking around the hotels and casinos
Worst about Vegas - The smut cards and the drive there

Vegas was kind of fun, it had its good points and bad points. I didn't really have a bunch of time to do stuff other than go to the show.

[Haunted Illinois]

Best new prop - Gore Galore Tree costume / Spookywoods FX Skeleton Costume / Scarefactory T-Rex

Worst new prop - no comment

Best about the show - ???

Worst about show - Had to walk forever, through casinos, to get to the convention floor. Also, no central haunter gathering, like the Crowne in Chicago.

Best about Vegas - Massive amount of shows available to entertain you.

Worst about Vegas - $25 cab ride from the airport. Getting around the city, I spent well over $100 in cab fare. General high cost of everything in Vegas. Everyone had their hand out for a tip.

[Jim Warfield]

"hand out for a tip?"
Have a gruesome bloody, stump sticking out from your sleeve but have the stump give them a tip, have the money all dripped ,gooey and bright red.
"I just got back Ibola, Africa!"

[drfrightner]

Best new prop - Scarefactory Charging Dino
Worst new prop - I did'nt really see anything bad
Best about show - All the new product
Worst about show - exensive food prices
Best about Vegas - Wasn't freezing and not boring
Worst about Vegas - Not really anything but didn't like the food prices.

Larry

[drfrightner]

Webby,

You said this was the best new prop...

Oak Island Claustrophobia II

Hmm....

Couple of things about this you should consider before buying...

1) Will your fire department allow this? This is blocking access from the sprinkler to the floor and that is usally a no way Jose situation. My fire department would NEVER allow this in my haunted house and I doubt many others if they found out about it. I do attractions all over the World, and if you do anything to block access to the floor they'll make you drop a head under whatever you're covering the floor with in this case this thing.

2) I'm afraid it would slow down through put through my haunted house.

3) Does it meet handicap regulations?

I think its a cool thing, but I could never use it for those reasons. Something to keep in mind. I think its different something new to add to your attraction but find out FIRST if you can use it before you buy it only to find out later they won't allow it. Oak Island had an outstanding booth but that was one thing I would check with your local officials first.

Larry

[Monster-Tronics]

I would agree with Larry, if my memory serves me I think code says no more then 4 ft of covered area. Some won’t even allow that.

Another problem is having people bend over or craw on their knees. Us old farts hate doing either. Most of the time haunts that have made me do this had spring loaded doors that crashed me in the head or a$$, or had a 2x4 somewhere that cracked open my head.

It is kind of sad seeing Vegas turn into what it has. I’ve been there a dozen times over several years and the growth and greed has taken the fun out of it for me.

[bodybagging]

Best new prop - Personally I loved EDGE DESIGNS BoilerPIPES, this is the second year in a row that they got my best new prop vote

Worst new prop- AHA I WILL BE THE first Tto point out this one... the WORST NEW PROP AWARD goes to the SKINZ OF SIN CHINESE KNOCKOFFS! ( Steve, Jason, If you want to fly over to China and kick some lil chinese knockoff ass, Ive got my Passport handy)

Best about show - For me the BEST part of the show, was the GIANT SMILE that we put on the LIL Japanese Rubies REP, once we got him up on the SKYWALKER stilts...... This is LIFETIME DREAM, Thank you thank you......

Best about Vegas - The Road trip to VEGAS, Spending quality times with friends and making new friends, Having customers come up and tell you all the stories of how they used your product to create memories of a lifetime.

Worst about Vegas - NUMBER ONE.... Sorry ASS people removing stuff from your booth, NUMBER TWO, The UNION, NUMBER THREE, everything so overpriced,

[Speculo]

We didn't really get any BIG things, we are pretty much on a November buying cycle now, that way we have more time to get items and the vendors have more time to refine the product. We certainly have some plans for next November!

I agree Larry that the attacking SF T-Rex rocked! I had the same thoughts about that Claustrophobia, with the sprinkler obstruction, and I told them so at the show. If I wasn't in a sprinklered building with a high throughput situation we might have gotten one, it was a cool idea. We did get that maggot dropper, but we will put a collection grate under it, people might slip on that rice!

Overall I thought the vendors did a great job, LOTS of new ideas and products, excellent work all!

My peeve is the knock offs, especially on the Halloween side. They hate the Haunt crowd but every year they look to us for innovation - Every year you see stuff they knocked off, and this year openly with the sins of skin from Screamline.

Gore Galore really stepped it up, lots of great stuff from Ghost Ride, and it was good to see La Fond FX return. All the new costuming/acting type stuff especially Spookywoods was also refreshing. We missed some familiar vendors, but over all it was a great show.

Looking forward to seeing where the vendors decide in mass to go next year, I know we will be there!

Thanks!

Ben

NETHERWORLD

[Gore Galore]

Best new prop - Lafonds whole scenic package. They always create an awesome display. And I thought it was very creative of Distortions to do the shocker illusion with the actor and bring back the pepper's ghost illusion. I also loved Fright Dome's Costumes and props.
Worst new prop - This I can't comment on but there were a couple low quality prop companies selling retail market products as their own. That always burns my britches. Seeing so many creative companies being ripped off by import companies. did you know the moment you try to take your products to be manufactured out of the US it is usually copied and on the market before you can actually get it on the market yourself.
Best about show - Because we were on the west coast we met many new friends.
Worst about show - Disorganized show, the dryage was stupidly insane. all the costs involved in doing this show this year.
Best about Vegas - All the night life options we didn't get to partake in.
Worst about Vegas - Difficulty getting together with other haunters after hours. We tried so many times to hook up with others after hours and it just never worked out. We couldn't find anyone. We were also so busy we weren't able to take advantage of the fact we were in Vegas. I really wanted to: 1: take friends to see Fremont St. 2: go to Star Trek experience. 3: See Cirque du Soliel's KA.

I was pretty unhappy about being in Vegas, but I knew it would be financially ok for us. But we did do well enough that if it were in Vegas again, we would be happy to be there.

I would much rather be in Vegas in March than Chicago in January.

[Grimley]

Best New Items-Gore Galore Tree Monster, Oak Islands Haunt set up including Claust I, claust II and hall of voices, Skull tronix everything, frearscape studios, midnight studios.......a lot of very cool stuff.

Worst New Item- I have to say the item I went to the show to see the most and the item I was most disappointed with was the Scream Cube. I had waited all year to see this one and it just was not what I expected. The sounds were muffled and crackled. Just did not live up to my expectations.

Best about the show- Meeting a lot of new people and vendors.

Worst thing about the show- The announcement of the move back to Chicago.

Best thing about Vegas- All of the shows and attractions we got to attend.

Worst thing about Vegas- The show won't be there next year.

[Gore Galore]

Grimley,
Sorry you were disappointed with the Scream Cube. I do appreciate the feedback. It is something we will work on.
We sold a ton and all by first hand experience by the customer.
We just have a little more tweaking with the case, and components. It is so loud it rattles the components on the circuit boards, and this problem is already dealt with an easy fix actually. And we are increasing the size of the port to allow more air flow which will also help with the muffled sound.
They really are the best components you can buy without it costing $1000.

Grimley,
With your help our customers are going to receive a better product.
So, thank you!
I really do appreciate it.

[mindtumor]

I actually liked the scream cube, I thought it sounded pretty good. Just my opinion though.